What Are The Blood Sugar Levels For Prediabetes

Blood Sugar Levels In Prediabetes

Blood sugar levels in prediabetes are higher than normal, but not as high as in diabetes. A fasting blood glucose or fasting plasma glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test can assess your blood sugar and can be used to diagnosis prediabetes.

You take the FPG after an overnight fast, without eating or drinking anything with calories. Then you get your blood drawn and wait for your results to come in, which could take hours to weeks depending on your lab and healthcare provider.

What Is The Hba1c Test

Your HbA1c also known as A1c is a blood test that measures the amount of leftover glucose that have accumulated in your bloodstream during the prior 3 months. The higher your A1c is, the more damage is occurring to your bodys nerve endings and blood vessels in areas like your eyes, your fingers, and toes, and your kidneys.

The more AGEs are present in your blood, the more damage is occurring that can develop into diabetes complications like retinopathy, neuropathy, hair-loss, gastroparesis, dermopathy, and nephropathy.

The higher your blood sugars are each day, the higher your next A1c result will be!

Can I Stop Prediabetes Developing Into Type 2 Diabetes

The good news is that cases of prediabetes that are identified early on can be reversed, preventing them from progressing into full-blown type 2 diabetes. Each year in the UK, 5% to 10% of people diagnosed with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes.

The two principle factors for consideration are:

• Appropriate physical exercise to your lifestyle

In fact, the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with borderline diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making dietary changes and increasing their level of physical activity.

For a comprehensive and individual plan, speak to your doctor.

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Diabetes Is Harder To Live With Than Prediabetes

People with prediabetes have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The risk of serious health problems increases even more for people with diabetes.

Diabetes affects every major organ in the body. People with diabetes often develop major complications, including kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage. Nerve damage can lead to amputation of a toe, foot, or leg. Having diabetes can also double the risk of depression. That risk increases as more diabetes-related health problems develop. All can sharply reduce quality of life.

What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider

If you are at risk for diabetes or prediabetes, ask your healthcare provider:

• What is my blood sugar level?
• What steps can I take to lower my blood sugar level?
• How often should I get my blood sugar checked?
• What else can I do to prevent Type 2 diabetes?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Prediabetes is a common condition. It means your blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be considered diabetes. You may not have any prediabetes symptoms. Its important to talk to your healthcare provider about getting regular blood tests, including an A1C test, especially if youre high risk.

The good news is that you can reverse prediabetes. Losing weight and exercising, along with other lifestyle changes, can bring your blood sugar levels back to a healthy range. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 03/25/2021.

References

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The Nations Risk Factors And Cdcs Response

Some risk factors for type 2 diabetes cant be modified, such as age and family history, but some can, such as having prediabetes, being overweight, eating unhealthy food, being inactive, and smoking. CDC works to help people reduce those modifiable risk factors so they can prevent or delay developing type 2 diabetes and improve their overall health.

Different Levels And What They Mean

The ranges of safe levels of blood glucose depend on factors such as what time of day it is and when you last ate. Safe levels of blood sugar are high enough to supply your organs with the sugar they need, but low enough to prevent symptoms of hyperglycemia or complications of diabetes which follow the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases guides. Dangerous levels of blood glucose are outside of this range.

The target levels can also vary if you have diabetes. For example, if you are diabetic and are monitoring your blood sugar, you might get a reading of 65 mg/dl. That is considered to be mild hypoglycemia, and you would be wise to eat 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates and retest your blood sugar in 15 minutes.

If you were not diabetic, you probably would not know that your sugar was low because you would not test and because you would not symptoms, and you would not act.

That is fine because your body is capable, under normal circumstances, of raising your blood glucose to healthy levels when needed, even if you have not eaten. It is important to keep them in control to help prevent issues like heart disease or nerve damage.

Looking for the best prediabetes diet? Learn what foods are best to help you manage your prediabetes.

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What Is Impaired Fasting Glycaemia

The WHO has also said that someone has impaired fasting glycaemia if they have:

• A fasting blood glucose between 6.1 to 6.9 mmol/L and
• A blood glucose of less than 7.8 mmol/L after a two-hour oral glucose tolerance test.

NICE states that someone with a fasting blood glucose of 5.5-6.9 mmol/L is at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

If you have impaired fasting glycaemia, you are also thought to have an increased risk of developing diabetes. Your risk of developing cardiovascular disease is also increased but this seems to be lower than if you have pre-diabetes . The rest of this leaflet is about pre-diabetes.

How To Lower Blood Sugar In Prediabetes

Now what? What should you do if you have prediabetes or risk factors for it? After getting tested, you have the choice. You can choose to take action and delay or prevent type 2 diabetes, or you can choose not to take action, and almost certainly get type 2 diabetes within years.

The great news is that taking action is not so hard! Most people with prediabetes can lower their blood sugar levels without taking medications. You can lower your risk for diabetes by over 50% with modest weight loss and regular moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking most days of the week.

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Normal Hba1c For Person Without Diabetes

For someone who does not have diabetes, a normal HbA1C level is below 5.7%. An A1C between 5.7% to 6.4% is indicative of prediabetes.

Its recommended that adults over the age of 45 or adults under 45 who are overweight and have one or more risk factors for diabetes have a baseline A1C checked. If the result is normal, the A1C should be checked every three years. If the result indicates prediabetes, the A1C should be checked every one to two years.

Normal And Diabetic Blood Sugar Ranges

For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows:

• Between 4.0 to 5.4 mmol/L when fasting
• Up to 7.8 mmol/L 2 hours after eating

For people with diabetes, blood sugar level targets are as follows:

• Before meals : 4 to 7 mmol/L for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• After meals : under 9 mmol/L for people with type 1 diabetes and under 8.5mmol/L for people with type 2 diabetes

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Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Ranges

Both IFG and impaired glucose tolerance indicate pre-diabetes and are associated with an increase risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes including weight loss and an exercise program, as well as possible oral medications are sometimes indicated.

There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but pre-diabetes can often be completely reversed with proper medical intervention and changes in lifestyle.

What Is A Prediabetes Diet

A diet for prediabetes looks a lot different than a typical American one.

I like to tell my clients to reserve half of your plate for vegetables, a quarter of your plate for protein, and a quarter of your plate for healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains and fruit, says McKittrick.

A person with prediabetes should not eat processed carbohydrates that are high in sugar, but instead get carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, legumes, and starchy vegetables .

If you want to cut out carbs, you certainly can, but you dont have to, McKittrick says. They taste good, they give you energy, and usually it’s not sustainable to give them up completely.

Also shoot for 25 to 30 grams of fiber from food each day, as fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal and crunchy vegetables improve insulin resistance and keep you fuller, longer.

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What Exactly Is Prediabetes

Prediabetes involves your blood sugar levels. Youll have too much sugar in your blood, but not enough to meet the criteria for diabetes.

Blood sugar, which is another name for blood glucose, is important to control throughout your life. Blood sugar is the main sugar thats found in your blood. It comes from the food you eat, and its the main source of energy your body uses every day. Your blood carries the sugar to your bodys cells.

Even though prediabetes is not full-blown diabetes, having too much sugar in your blood can still damage your organs especially your kidneys. It may cause you to have too much protein in your urine, which stresses your kidneys.

Tests And Diagnosis For Prediabetes

Your doctor will do at least one of these tests:

Fasting plasma glucose test. You wonât eat for 8 hours, and then a technician will take your blood to test the sugar levels. The results are:

• Normal if your blood sugar is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter
• Prediabetes if your blood sugar is 100 to 125 mg/dL
• Diabetes if your blood sugar is 126 mg/dL or higher

Oral glucose tolerance test. First, you’ll have a fasting plasma glucose test. Then, you’ll drink something sugary. Two hours after that, a technician will take and test more blood. The results are:

• Normal if your blood sugar is less than 140 mg/dL after the second test
• Prediabetes if your blood sugar is 140 to 199 mg/dL after the second test
• Diabetes if your blood sugar is 200 mg/dL or higher after the second test

Hemoglobin A1c test. This blood test shows your average blood sugar levels for the past 2 to 3 months. Doctors give it to people who have diabetes to see if their blood sugar levels are under control. They can also use it to diagnose prediabetes or diabetes. The results are:

• Normal if itâs 5.6% or less
• Prediabetes if itâs 5.7 to 6.4%
• Diabetes if itâs 6.5% or above

You may need to take the test again to confirm the results.

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Referral For Help And Support

The NHS in England has developed the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme for people with pre-diabetes. This provides personalised support from a group of healthcare professionals.

If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes and live in England, you should be offered referral to this service. It involves at least 13 sessions over about 9 months, each lasting 1-2 hours. You will be supported to set and achieve goals and make positive changes to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Most of the sessions will be run as face-to-face groups with other people who also have pre-diabetes and led by one or more experts.

What Causes Insulin Resistance

Researchers dont understand exactly what causes cells to become insulin resistant. But its possible that carrying excess weight and being physically inactive contribute:

• Belly fat can increase inflammation in the body, which may lead to insulin resistance.
• Exercise causes changes in your body that help keep blood sugar levels in balance. Lack of activity makes it difficult to maintain that balance.

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Take It Slow One Day At A Time

Regardless of its type, diabetes is a serious condition. If left untreated, it can get worse over time. But that doesnt mean we cant continue to enjoy a great quality of life after a diagnosis.

Take it slow, one day at a time. Managing prediabetes and diabetes truly boils down to losing weight through a healthy diet and exercise. Resist the urge to complicate things.

Theres no need for special foods or workouts. But there IS a need for an easy-to-follow daily routine that helps spend less time worrying about blood sugar and more time relaxing and enjoying life.

Klinios diabetes management assistant app is designed precisely for people who would love to enjoy a greater quality of life. Its fantastic for simplifying prediabetes and diabetes management and works great for weight loss.

As of June 2022, Klinios 180,472 users have lost a total of 430,890 lbs, with the most active users losing upward of 40 pounds each over a period of 6 to 9 months.

Besides the custom meal plan, Klinio users also get bite-sized, simple workouts adapted to their fitness level. These can be done in a small area at home without equipment.

Klinio also supports users with calculating carbs, sugars, cholesterol, and other metrics. The app offers an easy way to track everything in one place and show it to the doctor.

In short, Klinio is a complete, all-in-one solution for managing prediabetes and diabetes.

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Complete Information On Prediabetes Blood Sugar Levels

Prediabetes or borderline diabetes refers to elevated blood sugar levels, but lower than diabetes sugar levels. Knowing about these levels helps in managing the condition, before it is too late to lower glucose concentration in the bloodstream.

Prediabetes or borderline diabetes refers to elevated blood sugar levels, but lower than diabetes sugar levels. Knowing about these levels helps in managing the condition, before it is too late to lower glucose concentration in the bloodstream.

After digestion, the energy is stored in the blood, in the form of glucose. It is then circulated to the body cells for their normal functioning with the help of insulin hormone. At times, sugar or glucose is not utilized by the cells and tissues, thus retained in the blood itself. Such a condition affects the body in several ways, and the underlying medical condition is referred to as diabetes. The opposite of this is low glucose level in the blood, known as hypoglycemia.

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Whos At Risk For Prediabetes

If you have risk factors for prediabetes, talk to your healthcare provider about getting your blood sugar checked regularly. These prediabetes checks are essential because prediabetes often has no symptoms. You can have it for years and not know it.

You may also be at higher risk of prediabetes due to:

• Age .
• Parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes.
• Ethnicity. Being African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-American race or a Pacific Islander.

• Smoking.

The Power Of Prevention

The high prevalence of adult obesity in America, which is now around 35%, is largely to blame for the prediabetes epidemic, says Dr. Ganda. But if your blood sugar is on the high side, you don’t need to make drastic changes to see improvements. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a landmark study published 15 years ago, showed that cutting out 150 calories per day and walking briskly for 30 minutes, five days a week, cut the risk of developing diabetes by more than half . You should also avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white rice, foods made with white flour, and sugary treats like desserts and sodas. Losing weight is ideal but not absolutely mandatory.

“I tell my patients, don’t be disheartened if you don’t lose weight,” says Dr. Ganda. If you keep exercising regularly, even if your weight doesn’t change, your body composition will change. Losing fat and gaining muscle will improve your response to insulin, as will the exercise itself. “Think of doing exercise as having a little bit of extra insulin on board,” he says.

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Insulin Blood Sugar And Prediabetes

Prediabetes can develop when the system goes awry and your blood sugar levels increase. This happens due to resistance to a hormone called insulin, which is produced by an organ called the pancreas. Your pancreas release insulin when your blood sugar levels rise after a meal. Insulin helps sugar get out of your blood and into your fat, muscle, and some other cells so that they can use the sugar for fuel, and so that the extra sugar leaves your bloodstream.

Prediabetes happens when your cells become less sensitive, or more resistant, to the effects of insulin. You progressively need more insulin to get the sugar out of your blood and into your cells. Eventually, possibly after years or decades, your body cannot produce enough insulin to keep up with demand.

This is when blood sugar rises to the levels that are seen in prediabetes. At this point, your doctor might diagnose you with prediabetes after taking a blood glucose test. Even higher levels, which can happen if you do not treat prediabetes, indicate diabetes.